


Sibutramine

by normalormynormal



Category: IT (Movies - Muschietti), IT - Stephen King
Genre: Child Abuse, Drugging, F/M, Forced anorexia, M/M, Munchausen by proxy, Sick Fic, Sonia Kaspbrak's A+ Parenting, protective losers club, sorta - Freeform
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-03-20
Updated: 2020-03-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 03:47:08
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,384
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23228842
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/normalormynormal/pseuds/normalormynormal
Summary: Eddie’s mum has been making him sick by feeding him sibutramine - a pill that induces anorexia and overall weakening the subject with other nasty side-effects. When Eddie finds out he gets help from the Losers who become very, very protective.
Relationships: Ben Hanscom/Beverly Marsh, Bill Denbrough/Mike Hanlon/Stanley Uris, Eddie Kaspbrak/Richie Tozier
Comments: 17
Kudos: 133





	Sibutramine

**Author's Note:**

> So with everything going on in the world at the moment I know I am personally looking for a lot more online content and I know others will be as well so I figured why not post my old ones that had yet to be finished or started so here we are. Have not posted a fic in literal yeeeeeeears. Please let me know if I have missed anything or not tagged something but otherwise enjoy this weird ass angst and stay healthy in these weird times.

It was 12:15 at night and the Loser’s - sans Eddie who was still sick in bed for the 8th day in a row - sat around Bill’s living room - Bev and Ben cuddling on the couch, Richie sitting on the ground in front of them and Stan, Mike and Bill tangled over each other on the double-seater to his right. They were watching the new box office film Jurassic Park. They had all already watched it twice before when Richie bought it straight form the shelf with his entire week’s pay from his small part-time job when it came out, but it was a Club favourite. So that’s why it wasn’t entirely bothering Richie that his eyes were glazing off to the side as his thoughts drifted to his sickly boyfriend of 2 years now. After dancing around each other for nearly their entire lives, a push from the rest of the Loser’s and some truth or dare influence when they were 13, was all it took for them to finally get together and they had never been happier. Mike, Stan and Bill had become an item a year prior and Ben and Beverly being the longest standing relationship among the Loser’s Club with their total of 4 years together. And throughout all those years - before and after getting together -Richie had never known Eddie to this sick for this long. He couldn’t help but shake the feeling that something was wrong with the entire situation.

Richie decided he’d had enough thinking and snatched the Tv remote from the couch effectively rousing Benverly form their quiet cuddling. He stands up to face the room and everyone looks up at him.

“Okay, does anyone else think this whole Eddie thing is fucking weird?” He asks, surveying the room.

Bill and Stan nod along, the other three not yet saying anything.

“I won’t lie, I’m kinda glad you said something Rich, I thought it was just me,” Stan replies sitting up from his lying position on Mike’s chest, feet swinging off their resting place on Bill’s legs. Ben and Bev also sitting up to pay full attention when they realised this would be a longer, more serious conversation, Bev looking between the three boys.

“What do you mean? He’s sick, right?”

Richie starts pacing, “Well, yeah but, he’s never been away from school or from us for this long.”

“Wuh-We all kn-kn-know Sonia made him th-th-think he was sick for ye-years but because sh-she coddled him so mu-mu-much, his i-i-immune system is really weak. Bu-but never for this lo-lo-long.” Bill stuttered out, looking over at Bev.

“Guess that makes sense. I remember when he came to school looking really sick. Back then I just assumed all the stuff his mum told the school was true…” Bev trails off.

“Speaking of the placebos, why didn’t he stop taking them when Greta told him they were fakes?” Mike asked Richie who only stopped his pacing after Stan yanked his arm when he walked close enough, forcing him to sit on the ground.

Richie shook his head with an annoyed grimace, “When he tried to stop, Sonia started crying like the manipulative little bitch she is. He hates making his mum upset and they are pretty much just little tablets of ground up starch or something.”

Ben furrows his brow and slowly looks up from the ground where he had been thinking, “So why do you think this time is any different? Maybe he really has just gotten caught up in a cold or something this time around and due to his weakened immune system, is taking a little longer to get back on his feet?”

Richie sighs, “That’s the thing… Even though Eddie does get sick, the one thing Sonia Kaspbrak refuses he do other than anything strenuous is miss school work. You saw his messages, we aren’t even allowed to see him let alone bring him his missed work. She’s even been taking his phone away at night, that’s why he said goodnight to us earlier-” Richie stops abruptly before continuing, softer this time, “Maybe I am overthinking this… Maybe Ben is right. Maybe we have just known him for so long that it seems weird but it actually isn’t. I just can’t help shake this feeling that something is… really wrong.”

A chorus of agreements and his and the other’s phones going off is what met him. He pulls it out and flips it open.

“Eds!” And Richie was already heading out the door.

* * *

Eddie sat up in bed gingerly as Sonia placed a steaming mug of chamomile tea on his bed side table, propping up his pillow for him to sit more comfortably and picking up the untouched bowel of beef stew.

“Okay, Eddie-Bear, are you sure you can’t eat anything?” Sonia asked, holding up the dinner she left up here for him a few hours prior. Eddie shook his head softly, looking as green again as he had when she first brought it in, his voice was quiet as he answered, too weak to speak too loudly.

“No… God, no.”

Sonia hummed, “That’s such a shame… You haven’t eaten in four days, my Eddie, I’m so worried, you’re getting so skinny. What about your nose? Feeling like its going to bleed again?”

“No, it’s fine. I’m sure I’ll be fine soon enough. Just… please, no hospital.” He bowed his head weakly for Sonia’s incoming kiss, fear of the sterile place making his voice shakier. With his head down, he missed the small smile she gave.

“Alright, well, phone now, time for bed. Don’t want those bad influences getting into your head before you sleep. You need your rest.” Sonia held her free hand out expectantly.

Eddie sighed defeatedly, “Mum, they aren’t bad people,” Sonia’s stare didn’t change. “Fine, can I just say good night? They will worry otherwise. It’s only 8.”

She gave him a look, “Yes and that’s too late for you when you’re this sick to be up and talking to those crazy children.” She started to walk away after smoothing his hair down. “I just want you to get better… You can say goodnight while I go get your vitamins and put this away,” she lifts the bowl again in gesture, “Maybe you can have it tomorrow. When I come back, though, I’m taking that phone whether you have finished or not.” Eddie nodded along, already opening up the group chat and shooting off a quick goodnight message.

**_SpagEdward_ ** _: Night, guys! Hope you have fun., she’s taking my phone again. Love you!_

Replies came back near immediately.

**_MollyR_ ** _: Love you, sweetie! Get better xx. Ben can’t find his phone but he says goodnight too_

**_JustTrash_ ** _: I LOVE YOU AND SAY GOODNIGHT TO YA MUM FROM ME ;)_

**_JustTrash_ ** _: I can’t believe she is taking your phone again though the fuck is up with that_

**_TheMan_ ** _: Hope you are feeling better, Eddie._

**_DenBRO_ ** _: Sleep well, Eddie_

**_Mike’n’Ike_ ** _: We will try come see you tomorrow!_

Eddie smiled at his friends worry but before he could send a reply, he heard his mother’s footsteps traveling up the stairs and he quickly shut his phone off so she couldn’t read any messages the group sends.

“Okay, my little Eddie, take both of these, give me that thing and off to sleep with you. You’re still so so unwell. I thought you would be over this by now.” She handed him both the vitamins and a small glass of water.

“Okay, mamma. If you say so.” Eddie tried to sit up further to hand his mother the phone but between his shaking hand and shaking body it was an uphill struggle. His mother noticed and practically swooped him back down into the bed with a calming hand to the forehead and cradling the back of his head, guiding him to the pillow. She pulled the blankets up higher, snatched the phone out of his hand and gave him a patronisingly sad look, pouting at him.

“Oh, I hate to see my Eddie-bear so weak… Those vitamins will help though. Just rest and let them kick in. Next dose in the morning.” She gave him another kiss to the forehead, Eddie too tired to even do anything in return, let alone reply to her when she bid him goodnight and left the room. After she flicked the light off, Eddie drifted to sleep near immediately. Even if it was only for a few hours.

It was 12am when Eddie woke up again hesitantly, not the most ideal time for him to be awake, especially when feeling this disgusting.He grumbled as his eyes opened, wanting nothing more than to fall back asleep and wake up when he was feeling less like his body was shutting down on him. He lay there, staring at the ceiling hoping for sleep to overcome him once again but it never came. The pressure on his bladder to be enough to force him out of the comfort of his bed and he sat up slowly with a groan, dragging his legs off the bed so he was sitting on the side, huffing gently due to the exertion. It took most of his strength to stand, muscles, joints and bones alike protesting so harshly. Eddie braced himself on the bed side table where the stone cold mug of tea sat. His legs shook with the weight of his own body - even though it wasn’t much at the time. He took deep, shuddery breaths and used the wall to stumble to the bathroom to do his business.

When finished, he used the wall either side of the toilet to pull himself up again and stumble over to the basin to wash his hands, looking into the mirror, shocked to find that he looked even worse than he did the morning before. His eyes looked bruised and face was near transparent due to the paleness. The brunette pulls up his shirt to see ribs poking through sick looking skin and shakes his head in disbelief.

“The fuck is going on… I’ve been resting and doing everything to get better… taken all those vitamins and tablets…” He whispered, staring himself down in the mirror attempting to understand why he was still so weak. He took another breath and staggered out of the bathroom.

On the way back to his bed, Eddie paused by his mother’s door and contemplated. He desperately wanted to talk to Richie. With how unwell he felt and tired and upset all he wanted was to hear his boyfriend crack some stupid joke and chat to his friends. That sounded so, so good. And tempting enough to try.

With his mind made up, he quietly makes his way to his mother’s door, pushing it open as gently as possible to not make too much noise, cringing when the door creaked too much for his liking. Eddie stopped to listen if his mother was still asleep, eyes not yet adjusted to the complete darkness of her room. When he heard her snore obnoxiously, he continued.

Eddie creeped around slower than he usually would, since the Loser’s had defeated It and Eddie discovered his mother was brain washing him with placebos, he had become a lot more rebellious against his mother and snuck out more often. Don’t get him wrong, he still loved and adored her and it was her strange, scary way of showing him she cared but that didn’t mean he wasn’t more apprehensive of her now. He questioned what she told him much more these days.

After his eyes became used to the darkness, Eddie spotted his phone on the table next to the bed, glinting in reflection from the light behind him. He manoeuvred sluggishly around the bed and to the bedside table right next to Sonia’s sleeping form, reaching for his phone and never once taking his eyes offhis mother in fear of her waking up to catch him. His hands hit the table and he realises after looking down with lightning speed that he over-reached for the device. He grabs the phone and something else on the table catches his eye but before he registers it, his eyes shoot back to Sonia again to ensure she’s still dead asleep.

Feeling comfortable she won’t be waking up, he looks back to find that what caught his attention was a small yellow pill bottle he hadn’t seen before, he picks it up to read the label, periodically checking his mother is still out. In the dim room, he can only make out his own name on the prescribed pills which merely provides him with more questions than answers and confuses him further. Eddie makes a face at it, glances at his mother again and slinks back out of the room, closing the door quietly and stumbles as quickly as he can, and on the wall to hold him up, back to the refuge of his room. He closes the door and near-falls to sit on his bed when his tired legs nearly give out from holding his body weight, placing both nicked items on the bed beside hime.

Taking a few moments to catch his breath and stop the dizziness from the exertion, he powers up his phone, the illuminated screen and loading symbol encouraging him to put it down in waiting and pick up his other confiscated item, the pill bottle. It has his name on it, must be for him, right?

He picks up the small, yellow bottle with shaky fingers and rolls it to read the label:

_KASPBRAK, EDWARD_

_TAKE 1 BY MOUTH DAILY_

_SIBUTRAMINE TAB_

_Refills Left: 6 (of 8)_

Eddie knew all the names of his supposed medications and _sibutramine_ was certainly not one of them. Eddie made a noise and turned when his phone vibrated on the bed, missed messages catching up. H ignored them for now in favour to stumble towards his computer. He knew he had heard of sibutramine before, just unsure of where.

When the computer fired up, he typed the medication into the search engine, curious as to what was going to show. The results were horrific.

_“Sibutramine is a recalled drug that is now illegal to be sold for any purpose. It was a drug with the aims to help people lose weight rapidly - now known as the ‘anorexic drug’ - and had debilitating side effects on the consumer. Some more severe side effects include:_

  * _Fast, pounding or uneven heartbeats_
  * _Agitations, fever, nausea, hallucinations, confusion, sweating_
  * _Easy bruising and bleeding (nosebleeds, bleeding gums)_
  * _Dangerously high blood pressure, chest pain or heavy feeling that spreads to torso, numbness or weakness, problems with vision, speech or balance “_



Eddie felt like he was going to be sick right then and there. He had experienced nearly all of these in the past week. He didn’t want to believe it but the facts were all there.

His mother had been drugging him. And he hadn’t even realised.

He needs to get away from her. Now.

With panic rising in his chest and a new adrenaline settling over his body and the room becoming hot and stuffy, he pushed through the pain and tremors he felt to snag his phone from the bed, opening the group chat and typing a very quick message to the Loser’s.

**_SpagEdward_** : _4357 meet meinn my stret wont make it far_

**_DenBRO_** : Coming now

**_TheMan_** : Eddie, can you tell us what is going on? We are nearly there.

**_MollyRingwald_** : Eddie are you okay??

Ignoring the messages coming through, Eddie snatched the pill bottle from his desk and stuffed it into his fanny pack along with his inhaler before pulling on his shoes forgoing lacing them up in his desperation to get out of that psycho house. He flicked off his room lights and staggered down the hallway as fast as he could, using both hands to bounce off of each wall and propel himself toward the front door. He was trying to be quiet but a small part of him did not care if he woke Sonia. He was leaving no matter what.

Unlatching the door took effort with his foggy brain and shaking fingers but finally he was free, he pushed open the door to feel the cool summer night air hit his face and he stumbled through, pulling the door shut behind him and stumbling off the stairs connected to the porch nearly tripping. His breathing was already heavy and he could barely take a proper breath but the breeze did wonders for the flushing of his face and overall heat of his body.

Chest heaving, Eddie pushed his legs to move and while he had no walls to hold him up anymore, managed to stumble halfway down the street before his breath became shorter, the pain in his head bringing the dizziness back and nausea rose up in his throat. He clutched a hand to his stomach in an attempt to alleviate the feeling even though hew knew it wouldn’t do anything. His steps became slower and more sloppy as he neared the end of the street, his balance off.

He was far enough away form his house that if Sonia looked out the door, she wouldn’t have been able to see him and that’s a thought that brought him great relief. Unfortunately, it didn’t stop his head from spinning wildly.

“Shit..” He gasped out, he knew he wouldn’t win this fight by himself. Hopefully his friends got here soon or he would probably collapse here in the street, to be run over by a car that didn’t see him. Or worse, found by Sonia and taken back home. Tears built in his eyes, not only from the pain, but from the though of his mother, the fear and the betrayal. The one person that’s meant to be on the earth to protect him and love him had been drugging him for weeks so he could fit her own wants and desires. He’s so glad he has his friends, not matter how much Sonia even tried that from continuing, otherwise he truly didn’t know where he would have ended up.

“Eddie!”

His head jerked up from its gaze on the road when he heard familiar voices calling his name in the not-so-far distance, he could see his friends running towards him and smiled despite the pain with the next gush of air that forced its way out of his lungs. Relief enveloped his entire being and he could almost cry with happiness over the fact that he knew he was safe now with Richie, Bill, Stan, Bev, Mike and Ben around. They would help him.

His own feet decided they didn’t want to continue any longer and tripped over one another, causing Eddie to jolt and head straight toward the unforgiving asphalt.

“Shit, Eddie!” Richie’s arms enveloped around Eddie and he cried out at the force of his body hitting Richie’s and more tears sprung to his eyes in the comfort he felt in that moment, just letting the older boy hold him and settle him in his lap.

* * *

Before the others could barely finish reading Eddie’s message to the group, Richie was already running out the door of Bill’s house, Beverly quick to follow.

“Wuh-Wait! Gu-Guys!” Bill shouted form the double-seater that he, Stan and Mike were still sitting on, rushing to push Stan’s fit off him gently and pulling Stan up off Mike. They filed behind Ben who had followed after the two and out of Bill’s house to the porch on the front.

“Richie! Bev! Wait up!” Mike called, latching onto Stan’s shaking hand to calm the Jewish boy and himself. Nothing could have prepared them for that message.

Bill ran up past Bev who was standing with Ben waiting for thew rest of them, Richie still far ahead, everyone could see he had slowed down for them but was not stopping and they didn’t blame him. Bill caught up to him and they both started running at full speed again, the other’s footfalls just behind them. Bill had never been more thankful Eddie didn’t live too far from him. He felt like his chest had become elastic and coiled around itself and he was terrified, complete fear of the unknown and fear for his friend. What they might find. They had already seen so much for their short years on the earth. Even shorter years when they’d seen it. He was prepared and not prepared. He spared a side glance to Richie who was pale with an expression Bill had only ever seen on his face when they were fighting It: pure, unadulterated fear. Bill ran faster, Richie doing the same.

Bev grabbed Ben’s hand as soon as Mike and Stan had caught up and tugged him with her, running full speed to catch up to the other two, she felt cold and hot all at the same time. There was dared within her she couldn’t explain, Eddie, sweet, funny, small Eddie was in trouble and they didn’t know what they were up against. Was it going to be his mum? Bullies? She tugged Ben faster. Ben saw Bev’s face pinched with worry. They were all terrified. After discussing just prior how out of character and weird the whole Eddie situation was at the moment, they were kind of expecting something to happen. But nothing like this. The group had made up little codes just after their fight with Pennywise. They felt it best that if one of them needed to convey something, it would be easier to use their small codes to convey the seriousness of a situation rather than explain the entire thing. It was Stan’s idea. He had asked them all to meet at the club house in the woods and he proposed the idea, suggesting they memorise the basics and keep a book of the less likely ones. 4357 was ‘help’ and it was only to be used in serious situations, when one of them needed dire help at that very moment. They also had one for if Pennywise had risen its head again. Luckily they hadn’t had to use that number and they all hoped they never would.

There had only been a handful of times when 4357 had been used; when Richie’s dad thrown a bottle at his head and he had gashes and a concussion and the Loser’s had to get him to the ER; Stan was cornered by bullies at school that tried to beat him to a bloody pulp; Mike crashed his bike in the forestry and broke his leg.As long as Eddie made it out of this one, it would be another example. God, Ben was determined Eddie was gonna make it out of this one.

Stan panicked a lot. He got scared a lot. The Loser’s understood this and took care of him and his fears when he did. Now though? When everyone was panicking? Stan didn’t know what to do. His fear wasn’t irrational this time and watching everyone - especially Richie - so stone-faced and worried did not help calm Stan one little bit. He had known Eddie almost his whole life. At least after Bill had introduced the two, having been friends prior. Neither of them had the most stellar parents but they both knew their parents cared in their own fucked up kind of ways and that’s what drew the two boys together in the first place. They had grown their friendship through that, confiding in each other every time their parent’s did something thats seemed a little off and the other would either confirm their belief or help them look at it another way. Stan didn’t know what they were going to find but he knew he wouldn’t like it no matter what.

Richie’s mind was running in circles. He couldn’t keep one thought process going because it kept breaking off with just ‘Eddie, Eddie, Eddie…’ He had to get to him and he had to get to him now. His heart was racing and he could feel his legs burning with how hard he was pushing them but the dark headed boy refused to stop until he found his partner and made sure he was alright. Richie felt tears build in his eyes, a combination of fear and the wind from running but he blinked them back and willed his legs to go faster, breathing short with small panic. He just wanted his Eddie.

Richie nearly sighed in relief when they reached the corner that lead from Bill’s street to Eddie’s but the relief was small lived when he saw a small figure stumbling down the road not too far from them. Richie could nearly smile - it was Eddie. But something was off.

“Eddie!” Richie’s call made the others look up and they all started calling his name., they were so close now.

And that’s when it happened, Eddie’s own feet tangled within each other and he went toppling down. He wasn’t going very fast to begin with but they could all see how unwell he was, the ground would hit harshly regardless.

The rest of the Loser’s watched with bated breath as Richie practically skidded to a halt, enclosing his arms around Eddie’s tiny frame. Nothing to do with Eddie’s weight and more to do with the exhaustion and panic catching up to Richie both of them fell to the ground, Richie’s butt landing on the bitumen, Eddie laying across his lap with the older boy’s arms still around him.

“Rich…” Eddie whispered, breathing heavy and looking up at his partner’s face. Richie held the side of Eddie’s faced, wiping sweaty strands of hair away from his eyes.

“Its oaky, Eds… I got you”

The other’s caught up, Bev and Stan immediately dropping to their knees around the two boys, Mike, Bill and Ben standing around them in a sort of protective barrier from the outside world. They peered around into the darkness, seeing if Eddie was being chased by someone or something.

Bev’s hands fluttered over Eddie’s body, trying to figure out what was hurting him, “Eddie, hun, what happened? What’s going on?”

Eddie gasped in a couple of short breaths and the tears finally started to pour with the comfort of his family, “Not here… get me… away from here please… please, please!”

“Okay, Eds, okay. Let’s take him to the club house.” Richie looked up at their reactions and when everyone nodded, he beckoned Bill to help him pull Eddie to his feet and they begun their slow journey to their clubhouse in the forrest where they knew they would be safe.

* * *

Lowering Eddie down through the for of the club house was their hardest task. With him being too weak to help them all that much and the ladder being the only way in without just dropping him to the floor, they were forced to have some of their family below to grab him and some above, helping him down. Bev, Ben and Mike stood below to receive him and Bill, Stan and Richie above with the boy before they could manage to get him in their safe haven.

Once they settled him on the mattress in the corner they had confiscated from behind the junk yard, Bev walked over to their supply box to grab bottled water for their youngest and Bill lit the lamp, their only source of light. It was mediocre but they made do.

Richie looked over his partner, brushing some sweaty hair away form Eddie’s face as the others all took seats around the brunette.

“Eds… Eddie, can you tell us what happened?”

Eddie was just catching up on his breath as he nodded slowly. Sweat droplets rolled down his still too pale face but he managed to give a tired smile to Bev when she handed him the water. She took a seat next to him and placed a comforting hand on his knee to which he placed his own on top off.

Even after a sip of warm water, his voice was still gravelly as he spoke, “Mum… has been feeding me these pills,” he struggles to pull his twisted fanny pack around the right way and Richie reaches in for him, pulling out the little orange container.

“Sibu… Sibu train me?” Richie reads out loud. Stan snatches it out of his hands and scrutinises the label.

“Sibutramine, dumbass.” Stan rolls his eyes in Richie’s direction and Richie’s retaliation is cut off as Ben’s head shoots up in recognition.

“Sibutramine… Hang on, I know that. My mum used to take them, like, once a week for weight loss. They made her a little bit sick, but they were recalled.”

“Exactly,” Eddie croaked, “My mum has been… been giving them to me daily as fucking ‘vitamins’. Stupid shit has been what’s keeping me sick,” Bev’s hand tightened on his knee and Richie grabbed the hand that was free.

“What the fuck… That psycho bitch. I always knew she was crazy but what the shi-“

Bill cut Richie off, “Sah-so are the affects puh-puh-permanent or will they go away if you sah-stop taking them?”

Mike had a hand to his chin in thought, eyes darting around in fear and wracking his brain for information he wanted to have, “I would say like any hard medicine you would have to ween off of them first. You couldn’t just… stop straight up…” He trailed off and the others, Eddie included all nodded in agreement.

“I think it’s safe to say that you’re not gonna be staying at home for a while, Eddie…” Stan said, smiling at his friend. The others nodded even more so.

“Those of us who are able to can take turns housing you until this shit is out of your system… and then we can figure out what to do with the psycho.”

Eddie smiled up at his friends, slightly tearing up again and voice becoming thick, “Only if your parents are okay with that though. You guys are the best. I just can’t believe she would do something like this…”

“We always knew there was something really wrong with the adults in this town. I guess, unfortunately, this just confirms it.” Bev mumbled, her other hand seeking out Richie’s.

“Are you okay, Eds?” Richie asked him, latching onto Bev’s hand as well. All eyes were turned back to Eddie as they waited for his answer.

Eddie sniffled a little, “Not entirely… But I’m also just so tired right now… Can we go to sleep?”

The rest of the Losers Club smiled at him, nodding softly, “Yeah, Eddie, of course we can.” Stan said as he scooted up the mattress, pulling on of their spare blankets from the foot of it, up over Eddie and himself, tossing the other end towards Bev and Richie.

The others all got themselves situated as comfortably as they could on the old, small, rickety mattress, curling around Eddie and each other. Bev and Ben had their hand classed together across Eddie and Richie now who had curled up in the middle, Stan on the other side of Eddie with Mike curling up next to Bill closer to their feet after he had blown out the light.

“Let us know if you need anything during the night, okay?” Mike asked Eddie, patting his leg gently.

Eddie smiled in his direction as thanks and his eyes fluttered shut.

Until he felt Richie’s arms tighten around him.

“Don’t you ever, ever scare me like that again.” Richie whispered into Eddie’s neck.

“What? The great Trashmouth Tozier? Scared?”

“Of course I fucking was you idiot. You’ve been so sick for so long? And then that text? Fuck…”

Eddie’s teasing smile faded and he rubbed patterns over the back of his boyfriend’s hand, “I’m sorry, I didn’t mean to worry you..”

Richie resettled, nuzzling into Eddie, “Its fine. What matters is you’re safe now-”

“Eddie, I know you’re sick and all but we have all had a stressful night so can you two shut the fuck up?” Stan interrupted form their side. This sent the group into a fit of hysterical giggles and Richie made a choked noise.

“You know, Stanothy, now that Mrs. K is off limits, I need a new target.”

“Don’t you fucking dare."


End file.
